Teeth-IN-A-DAY / Teeth-IN-AN-HOUR

A lot of our patients are asking “Doc, I have seen on TV that I could have some fixed implant teeth in just one hour, is it really possible?”.

The answer is: Maybe…but:

Be aware that there is a lot of misleading information available in the media. Let’s clarify.

The “TEETH-IN-AN-HOUR” protocol, developed by Nobel Biocare in 2003-2004 was only applicable to an edentulous arch. It consisted of the delivery of a fixed final Procera Implant Bridge (denture teeth and pink acrylic retained on a CAD-CAM titanium framework) the day of the placement of the dental implants. The computer-guided dental implant surgery is done in an arthroscopic fashion without requiring any flap reflection. Mutliple prosthetic appointments were still needed before the surgery in order to make the prosthesis and the “Nobelguide” ahead of time. The dental implants were placed using the “Nobelguide” and the final prosthesis was delivered.

The concept was revolutionary, but in reality, clinicians were confronted with problems of misfit between the implants and the framework. The problem was somewhat addressed by creating some adjustable components that could fit between the framework and the dental implants. Nevertheless, the delivery of the final prosthesis the day of the surgery is more of a fiction than reality.

On the other hand, planning to deliver the patient a fixed temporary screw-retained implant bridge the day of the placement of the implants is now a well accepted, predictable treatment modality. A minimum of four dental implants is needed in the Bar Attachment Denture protocol. The posterior dental implants are angled to avoid the mandibular nerve at the mental foramen in the lower jaw and to avoid the maxillary sinus in the upper jaw. Several appointments are still needed before the procedure to make the denture and the surgical guide. The day of the procedure, the denture is retro-fitted to the implants, chairside. The removable denture is converted to a fixed conversion prosthesis. The protocol described above is called TEETH-IN-A-DAY.

Three to six months later, your restorative dentist will make the final prosthesis on a Procera or other CAD-CAM framework.

This merging of knowledge and experience achieves not only increased safety, but also a more precise dental implant placement. This benefits the patient in that there is less postoperative discomfort, less swelling, and less bruising. Often patients can resume their normal activities within a few days.

Thanks to TEETH-IN-A-DAY™ you could leave Fabrice J. Gallez, DDS, MS with a beautifully restored smile without having to wear any removable denture. We would be happy to perform a consultation to determine your eligibility for TEETH-IN-A-DAY; contact us for more information.

-Extract her teeth, place 4 implants in the upper jaw following the Bar Attachment Denture protocol, convert her previously made removable denture to a fixed screw-retained temporary prosthesis and connect it to the implants, all in about 4 hours.